Hi, after searching the forum I am looking for more opinions on the 2001 Adventure 208. I have my eye on one powered by a Yamaha 150 Saltwater Series 2. Any issues with this Grady? Couldn’t find much in the archive. I see it still has the aluminum cap on the transom. I had a Tournament 192 whose transom rotted and cracked, and I don’t want to go through that again. Thanks
Opinions on 2001 Adventure 208?
- Thread starter MJF
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I have a 208 with the SX150. As far as I know, I don't have any major issues with the transom. I do every few seasons, scrape out old loose caulking around the cap and the end pieces and reapply marine caulk like Life Seal.
Back when I got he boat in 2006 I had looked at a few boats including 208s and paid my share of survey fees
Some had major moisture issues. A survey is recommended.
The bilge on the 208 is very dry although some water will pool towards the bow. It does not drain aft unless the bow is quite a bit higher than the stern as is the case when launching/hauling on a ramp.
I have replaced a few parts over the years, hinges, latches, fixtures, pumps ( several times) and the like. My boat has all the same 'issues' as other 208s. Nothing major.
If you are going to check out the boat in detail, try to have the motor cold when you start it. See how is starts and sounds when cold, compared to after warm up. Check the trim and tilt pumps and cylinders for signs of leakage or corrosion. The trim mechanism is super expensive to replace assuming you can find one.
A mechanical inspection and a compression test are advised if you are serious about the boat.
Do not forget to factor in the cost to replace things like cushions and canvas if those are shot.
My standard advice is that the general appearance of the boat tells you a lot about the previous owner. If you see big signs of neglect for the cabin, deck and helm, you can be pretty sure the mechanicals were also neglected. On the other hand if a 21 year old boat looks brand new, that raise a red flag for me.
Good luck
Back when I got he boat in 2006 I had looked at a few boats including 208s and paid my share of survey fees
Some had major moisture issues. A survey is recommended.The bilge on the 208 is very dry although some water will pool towards the bow. It does not drain aft unless the bow is quite a bit higher than the stern as is the case when launching/hauling on a ramp.
I have replaced a few parts over the years, hinges, latches, fixtures, pumps ( several times) and the like. My boat has all the same 'issues' as other 208s. Nothing major.
If you are going to check out the boat in detail, try to have the motor cold when you start it. See how is starts and sounds when cold, compared to after warm up. Check the trim and tilt pumps and cylinders for signs of leakage or corrosion. The trim mechanism is super expensive to replace assuming you can find one.
A mechanical inspection and a compression test are advised if you are serious about the boat.
Do not forget to factor in the cost to replace things like cushions and canvas if those are shot.
My standard advice is that the general appearance of the boat tells you a lot about the previous owner. If you see big signs of neglect for the cabin, deck and helm, you can be pretty sure the mechanicals were also neglected. On the other hand if a 21 year old boat looks brand new, that raise a red flag for me.
Good luck
My 208 Adventure is 1999, no major issues either. I recently replace all switches in switch cluster and interior cushions ($1000).
I agree with Seasick about water retention, I drain the bilge on boat ramps.
The boat delivers anything I need on either ICW or the Atlantic
My intent is to upgrade to a lightweight 200 HP four stroke in the future. (Lightweight to maintain better weight balance)
If your serious about the purchase, have it inspected by a professional, the professional is not emotional attached and should give you and honest opinion of condition and needed repairs. A few hundred now is worth thousands later.
I agree with Seasick about water retention, I drain the bilge on boat ramps.
The boat delivers anything I need on either ICW or the Atlantic
My intent is to upgrade to a lightweight 200 HP four stroke in the future. (Lightweight to maintain better weight balance)
If your serious about the purchase, have it inspected by a professional, the professional is not emotional attached and should give you and honest opinion of condition and needed repairs. A few hundred now is worth thousands later.
Mustang65fbk
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I think my biggest questions at this point would be with regards to the price. What is the price? Is it in your budget? Is it indicative of the condition of the boat? Is there any wiggle room for when an inevitable fix or repair is needed? Have you looked at the boat in person yet? Is the boat priced comparably with other 208's of the same vintage hull/motor? Is it cheaper upfront to buy one already with a 4 stroke on it? Is it approaching 226/228 Seafarer prices? If so, is it something where you'd potentially want a slightly larger boat?
It's been mostly a seller's market for the last couple of seasons and from what I've seen, a lot of guys are asking top dollar for their boats, and oftentimes the 208 Adventure's go almost for what a 226/228 Seafarer sell for. So, if you're considering a 208 Adventure, you might also look into prices on a 226/228 Seafarer as they can be very close to one another. I bought my 2004 Grady White 228 Seafarer last October for $26.5k out in Maryland and couldn't find many Grady's for less than that price. Also, 2001 is the last year of the 2 stroke motors before Grady White started putting 4 stroke motors on their boats in 2002. It might be more advantageous to look for a slightly newer boat, or even an older one that's been re-powered, because it could save you a fair amount of money in the long run if/when you needed to re-power the boat.
If the boat seems to be reasonably priced, is in your budget and you're ok with paying that price, then I'd definitely consider making an offer on the boat and as others have mentioned above... I'd pay a surveyor to go out and look over the boat with you to see exactly what kind of condition it's in. I'd also check Google for reviews or opinions on the motor, but I've heard that the later modeled 2 strokes were pretty decent motors. They still smell like exhaust and are louder than a 4 stroke is going to be, but if maintained properly they usually have a pretty long life. It's a bit of an apples to oranges comparison but my uncle had a 1995 Bayliner with twin 2 stroke 175 hp Mercury outboards on it, and good lord those things were loud and smelled terribly. Not trying to steer you away from 2 strokes but I personally won't own a boat that has them. Here's a couple of links for marine accredited surveyors, if you proceed onward with the boat. Good luck!
www.marinesurvey.org
www.namsglobal.org
It's been mostly a seller's market for the last couple of seasons and from what I've seen, a lot of guys are asking top dollar for their boats, and oftentimes the 208 Adventure's go almost for what a 226/228 Seafarer sell for. So, if you're considering a 208 Adventure, you might also look into prices on a 226/228 Seafarer as they can be very close to one another. I bought my 2004 Grady White 228 Seafarer last October for $26.5k out in Maryland and couldn't find many Grady's for less than that price. Also, 2001 is the last year of the 2 stroke motors before Grady White started putting 4 stroke motors on their boats in 2002. It might be more advantageous to look for a slightly newer boat, or even an older one that's been re-powered, because it could save you a fair amount of money in the long run if/when you needed to re-power the boat.
If the boat seems to be reasonably priced, is in your budget and you're ok with paying that price, then I'd definitely consider making an offer on the boat and as others have mentioned above... I'd pay a surveyor to go out and look over the boat with you to see exactly what kind of condition it's in. I'd also check Google for reviews or opinions on the motor, but I've heard that the later modeled 2 strokes were pretty decent motors. They still smell like exhaust and are louder than a 4 stroke is going to be, but if maintained properly they usually have a pretty long life. It's a bit of an apples to oranges comparison but my uncle had a 1995 Bayliner with twin 2 stroke 175 hp Mercury outboards on it, and good lord those things were loud and smelled terribly. Not trying to steer you away from 2 strokes but I personally won't own a boat that has them. Here's a couple of links for marine accredited surveyors, if you proceed onward with the boat. Good luck!
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